Method for making matrices for molding rubber printing blocks



May 19; 1953 c PERKINS 2,638,845

R. METHQD FOR MAKING MATRICES FOR MOLDING Filed Mar oh 19, 1948 RUBBER PRINTING BLOCKS 2 Sheets-Sheet l a MASTER PLATE THERMOSETTING LAMINATED PLASTIC RESIN POWDER B Rue Benz MASTER PLATE INVENTOR.

V RAE C. PERKINS. THERMosET RESIN MATRIX AT ORIVEVJI May 19, 1953 RUBBER PRINTING BLOCKS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 VULCANIZED RUBBER PRINTING PLATE INVENTOR.

RAE C.PEIRKIN5 WMZM ATTORNEYS.

R. c. PERKINS 2,638,845 METHOD FOR MAKING MATRICES FOR MOLDING Filed March 19, 1948' 'or by hand engraving.

is then employed for producing a. matrixof a,

Patented May 19, 1953 METHOD FOR MOLDING RUBBER PRINTING BLOCKS i Rae C. Perkins, oswego N, Y., assignor to St.

Regis Paper Company, New

notation of New York I: Application March 19, 1948 Serial No. 15,896

This invention relates to novel methods for producing matrices adapted for repeated use for molding rubber printing die blocks.

The general purpose of the invention is to provide a dependable and simple procedure for producing accurate resinous matrices of the above-indicated character, which may be repeatedly used with a high degree of economy for making rubber printing die blocks of high quality with accurate and sharply defined designsof the desired printing matter. I

The methods and means-heretofore employing for producing rubber printing dies or blocks, embodying a printing design, such as can be produced only by a hand engravin operation, have consisted in the following:" In accordance with one procedure the intricate design is produced on a metal plate by aprocess of photo-engraving The so-engraved plate suitably impressionable material, and the resulting matrix thus obtained, is then used as a mold for molding the rubber printing block, under heat and pressurafrom a vulcanizable rubber.

These prior procedures of photo-engraving and hand engraving the intricate design in metal, are both quite expensive, and in addition the photoengraving process produces only a relatively shallow design, and such as will be rapidly I worn away when embodied, in themanner aforesaid, in a rubber printing block. An alternative proposal has been to hand engrave the intricate design in the rubber printing block itself, but this has the serious disadvantage, that as soon as the die block is worn out in printing operations, the

hand engraving must be done all over again in a new printing block. each time such new block is required. I

In accordance with my invention I- propose to produce the intricate design, by hand engraving,

zolaims. (01. 1015-4011) York, N. Y., a coring rubber printing, die blocksinvolving intricate I design as aforesaid, is greatly reduced as compared to the prior procedure aforesaid, of hand engraving the intricate design in the rubber printing block per se. I

It has heretofore been considered impossible, insofar as I am aware, to produce from an engraved rubber die block, embodying an intricate design, a matrix adaptedfor duplicating said design in rubber printing die blocks. In all previous attempts to produce such a matrix from an intricately engraved rubber die block, it has been found that intricately designed portions of the rubber die block are deformed or torn away from they block and embedded in the matrix, upon attempting to separate the two, so that not only is the engraveddesign of the rubber die block thus I destroyed, but in additionthe matrix is so impaired that it will not accurately reproduce the original engraveddesign in a rubber printing block molded from the matrix, ,so that the end product is of little or no valuefor purposes of reproducing, a design by, a printing operation.

In accordance with one aspect of my invention, I have eflectively solvedthis problem as follows.

i I place the engraved rubber master die block face up on the lower platen of a heated press. I

then apply to the upper or exposedsurface of the die block, a copious coating of an oleaginous medium, such as an aqueous soap solution, to serve as an effective separating means between the rubber die block and the matrix. Thereupon, a

finely ground thermosetting resinous molding powder such, for example, as a finely ground, thermosetting phenol-formaldehyde resin, is applied to the upper surface of the rubber die block to ,a height suflicient to cover the most upstanding portion of the design. I then preferably superimpose on the resulting assembly a thin in a block of engravable rubber, and to employ this block of so-engravedrubber, as a master die block for producing a matrix .of thermosetting I resinous material, from which any desired number of printing dieblocks may be reproduced by -moldinguncured or vulcanized rubber therein, I 1 under combined heat and pressure. The cost of I hand engravingthe intricate design in engravbacking sheet (about 0.125" thick) of laminated plastic material, consisting, for example, of superimposedshe ets of fibroustmaterial such as kraft paper, impregnated with and consolidated by a able rubber, is quite inexpensive as compared to r the metal slab photo-engraving and hand engravmg procedures, heretofore employed as aforesaid. 1 Also by employing the hand engraved rubber die i block of myinvention asa master die block for producing a matrix, from which the rubber print- [ing die blocks are formed, the expense of producthermoset synthetic resin, such as phenol-formaldehyde resin aforesaid. The upperplaten of the press is thereupon caused slowly to descend on the resulting assembly, radually increasing the pressure until about pounds per square inch is reached, the-temperatureof the press being meantime maintained at about 300 to 310 F., and the press held in this position for about 20 minutes, thus consolidating the resin powder into a solid structure, integrally bonded to the laminated -plastic backingsheet, while curing the resin powder from the thermosetting to the thermoset The resinous matrix thus produced, may now be employed for producinganydgsiredf number, for example, a hundred orso, o firubber-printing die blocks, by placing the matrix face up on the lower platen of a heated press,; apply,ing tp :the

exposed upper face thereof a relatively thick lay-,

er of uncured or vulcanizable rubben-"andthereupon causing the upper press platen to descend "an-d applyheatandi pressure, Y forfiexample. about 16'0 poundepes square inchpressure-zat'a temperstereos-astute!) =to'-3 l 0' -E., 'for' about '6:mim1-tes,

- thus tomol'd themaitrix therein whileicuring-L the;

rubber. The upper press platen is tthenielevated,

" the and-associated rubber -blocio removed {therefromand he rubber blo'ck stripped aa'way from he that; jthuspro'ducing a-:one=piece nubmgf block embodyingthe=design.'i-n::ques 1 tron. By duplicating -thisr precedure anyddesired n mberof a d' tiona amber-printing blocks may *tlius be prod e fiber-at tl-ie same timeor-at any subsequen meas- 'de'siredi Aisothe eng'ra'v'ed "rubber master die *blo'c'le may be stored i inployd for the future productionof mati ice n t he mannerafore- I, -whereby,-wi H andsrelatively cheapengraving operation; am almost unlimited rubber;"-pi'ir i'tin-gdie blocks maybe 1 cheaply and expeditiously reproduced r'o'm, w'th" resultingtremendous economies uantity'p nting operations.

applications- 0'1 ithe invention it will that the rubber printing die-block,

aster "aforesaidbut in addition, a din'a'ry *conventional 'type. lln acw h .gturther*modiricatiomof my inu 't' r'io t"- necessary that "this-legend of lent onalftypefbihandengraved;in theorig-.

, asterf'rubber 'die'l block. -For this porns ting of c'onventional" type a d-ie block vulcanized "rubber, 'enibodying the tiringfmaybecemented==in= a cut-away H the conve'ntion -manner; by ary-"metal type, from whichfa suitable-matrix is m'pr'ess'in ithe soset-up found y'typein insert ismade by applying--af layer urfe'd ubberjto the s impressed surfaceof jatrix andfcuring' the same i in si-tu under ined heat anii p'r essura eribedmy-"inventi'on in general y an *intricate hand'=engraveddesign r tr' die block; this i-ileanized e m rixjn terial,"'frolmf which the-rvul- 4 the master die block aforesaid, the section of Fig. 2 being taken through the master die block, substantially at 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the resinous matrix produced by the pressing operation of Fig. 2, and embodying an impression complementary to that of the master diebloekiw -Fig: 4 'is a view in sectional. elevation taken through a heated press and illustrating the pro- .duction of a vulcanized rubber printing die block fromthe resinousmatrix of Fig. 3, the Fig. 4 section being takenthrough the resinous matrix substantially at 4-4 of Fig. 3.

-Fig.;,5; is aperspective view of the one-piece,

vulcanizedrubber, printing die block resulting from-the pressing operation of Fig. 4.

, Be ierring to .-Eigs. 1 and 2, there is shown at it) a rectangular sheet of 80 durometer, engravable-rubber, to the underside of which is cemerited a thin ShBBtgOf metal H, such for exwample'asea sheet of: 0:09" thick sheet steel; for mpartin 2 s ifiness: .to. h ubber she t. Th upper portiontoftthe; rubber sheet 1 0,. embodies .aaha nd'z engr ved desig illustrate-d merely for I purposesnflf simpli ity, a omprisin an emfibcssedioval; 1.2-; withinzwhich is-inseribed the-embo ssedgnworda Rex g 13.; in; s ript. The rubber sheet-'10: is: cut; over? the rectan ular area -14; tor-reception, or saimelde w vulcanizedub .uinserti I 5.; embodying; the; embossed legend. Fine Products in conventignalgtype. 'lihis.. m ld d l rubber.ansemmawbenproduced, in iatcenven l vmanner, foivexam'pl by setting; up the; legend Fine YBIDdIlCtS.,",iIl:'QfOCQIIdEIgSpQYPB foilmlllg a matrix: therefrom qiforiexample by pressing; the same with. :combined; .heat': and pressure vinto .thermosettingvlaminated;plastic/sheet;material, and; employing -.-the.-:. matrix thus-, prqduced ,for iproducing theatmolded rubber-in er .-emb ying the'legend. Referring; nows'more particularly, to); :the masten .dieblqt:k :-.,o f Eli 1;. designate zera lly :byrthe-:numeral;=, IiSflIlOW" pl :up..-on -thelower zplaten ;l I, if :.a piiess provided iwith: cooperating zupperlrplaten r wm'es plate 1 518::cam2ied :by.appewerzactuate apistonz haft Athe press.:plates-= being hea'tesl; Lfor .examp ai y -:circu1ati0n:- of- -steam-.;thrdugh-;. tubular; passa ways'ii Brztherein, :Withflthfi} uppeimlaftena l 8 in an Q elevated :positi-oncas; indicated. ;by1th.::d01 l lin iisiobtained: for-example='-bya .,dissolvin armediu .::SiZed 310215: of soap in;aiquartgof water. .QA finely greund a-thermosetting. =;resinous ;g.powderg 2 l such lforaexaznple-v asia phenol-z formaldehy e 1 therm setting resin powder is thereupon applieditogthe l upperisurfacazoi ctheirubberesheetclilr tmai height zcorresponding rsubstantiallywto ;thev. heigh,tr of :the

sheets:'oiefibroussrmaterial, .qsuch as: "Kraft paper, ..impregnated with .andsconsolidated' by :aathermo- 'setissyntheticyresin, such .assphenol-iormaldehyde 1 :resin, :rthis, vlami nated plastic sheettzqharing a thickness for exampleoiabout 0.1125":

m a ulcaniztedrubbeninfwithrtheeassemblyr le-thus -r.- how he r nn tessplatenzta no actuat d 0w sce .from.-.theapesit1en to:apply;-.to,=,-the. assembly w e/ pressure whichv gradual-ly-,-increases untiliabout lQo p ounds per, square ,inch. is, attained,v ,meantime maintaininsg thapxes platens 1, I aal temperature of about 300 to 310 F., for example, 307 F. The combined heat and pressure are thus applied .for a period of about minutes, suflicient to consolidate the resin powder 2| into a solid structure integrally bonded to the laminated plastic sheet 22, and such as to cure the resin powder from the thermosetting to the thermoset condition. When this stage is arrived at, the upper press plate I 3 is again elevated from position 18 to i8 and the die block l5 and resinous matrix formed thereon, removed from the press, the resinous matrix being then stripped away from the die block, to give a one-piece resinous matrix, such as illustrated generally at 23 in Fig. 4, embodying the engraved and printed portions 24, in the form of reverse, intaglio impressions as shown.

For producing a molded rubber printing die block as aforesaid, the matrix 23 of 3 is now placed, referring to Fig. 4, face up on the lower press platen I! with the upper platen 13 in. the elevated position 18. There is new applied to the upper surface of the matrix 23 a relatively thick layer 26 of uncured or vulcanizable rubber,

i. e., uncured rubber that will flow under combined heat and pressure, and become vulcanized thereby. The upper press plate is now caused to descend from position 18' to It until a pressure of about 100 pounds per square inch is applied to the interposed matrix and rubber overlie 23, 26, the temperature of the press plates ll, I8 being again maintained at about 300 to 310 F., preferably 307 F., the pressure and temperature being so applied for a period of about 6 minutes, sumcient to cure and vulcanize the rubber overlie. Thereupon the upper press plate [3 is elevated from position IE to 18', the assembly 23, 26 removed therefrom, and the rubber overlie 26 stripped away from the matrix 23, to give a resulting one-piece rubber printing die block such as shown generally at 21 in Fig. 5. It will be observed that this printing die block 21 is a duplicate or replica of the master die block 16, Fig. 1, except for its one-piece construction. It bears a replica of the engraved portions l2, I3 and also of the printed legend l5.

For producing additional rubber printing die blocks 21 of Fig. 5, the matrix 23 is of course returned to the molding machine, and the procedure described in connection with Fig. 5, repeated. It has been found in actual practice that a resinous matrix such as 23, will serve to produce as many as a hundred or so rubber printing die blocks, in the manner illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5. However, additional resinous matrices, such as 23, may be produced from the master rubber die block l6, by repeating the procedure described in connection with Fig. 2.

Although in the presses illustrated in Figs. 2 and 4 as above described, the lower press platen I! has been described as stationary, and the upper press platen [8 as elevatable and depressable with respect thereto, in many presses of this type the opposite mode of operation occurs, that is to say, the upper press platen I8 is stationary and the lower press platen l1 elevatable and depressable with respect thereto. My invention contemplates the use of a press of either type.

What I claim is:

1. Method for producing a one-piece resinous matrix adapted for repeated use for molding rubber printing dies, which method comprises engraving the design which is desired to be printed, by cutting same in the surface of a pliable vulcanized rubber block, superimposing upon said design a layer of finely divided thermosetting resinous material to a depth sufiicient substantially to cover the engraving forming said design after first applying upon the block a coating to separate the resin from the rubber, covering such block and the resinous material thereon with a fibrous backing layer, thereafter subjecting the resulting assembly to an elevated temperature while gradually applying heavy pressure thereto, the heat and pressure applied being sufficient to consolidate the finely divided material integrally with the backing layer into a solid thermoset matrix embodying the complement of said design, but insufficient to cause any substantial deformation or marring of the design as enraved in the pliable rubber block, and removing the resulting matrix from the rubber block.

2. Method for producing a one-piece resinous matrix adapted for use for molding rubber printing dies, which are to embody an engraved design and also a legend of conventional type, which method comprises engraving the desired design upon a somewhat pliable vulcanized rubber block, also securing to said block a vulcanized rubber block embodying the legend of conventional type, applying an oleaginous coating to the surfaces embodying said design and legend and superimposing thereon a layer of finely divided synthetic thermosetting resinous molding material, superimposing on said layer a backing of fibrous material, thereafter subjecting the resulting assembly to an elevated temperature while graduallyapplying heavy pressure thereto, the heat and pressure applied being suificient to consolidate the finely divided material integrally with the backing layer into a solid thermoset matrix embodying the complement of said design and legend, but insuflicient to cause any substantial deformation or marring of the design as engraved in the pliable rubber block, and removing the resulting matrix from the rubber block.

RAE C. PERICENS.

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